1,500 metres, Men

The top milers during World War II were Arne Andersson and Gunder Hägg, both Swedish, but neither was eligible for the 1948 Olympics, having been declared professionals for accepting expense money. The early favorite at London was another Swede, Lennart Strand, who had led the world list in 1947 over both the mile and 1,500 metres, and had been European Champion in 1946. Two of the other favorites were also Swedish, Henry Eriksson and Gösta Bergkvist, who had been 2nd and 3rd in the 1947 1,500 metre list. Eriksson had also finished second at the 1946 European Championships. The Swedes were looking to sweep the medals in the 1,500, despite the absence of Andersson and Hägg.

Started in a cold rain, the final saw Belgium’s Marcel Hansenne take off at a suicidal pace, running 58.3 for the first lap and opening up a big lead. He was caught by the three Swedes shortly after finishing the second lap in the lead. Eriksson took the lead at 1,000 metres, with Strand on his heels. Together they were alone in the lead with 300 metres remaining. Despite his stronger sprint, Strand could never close the gap on Eriksson, although they ran shoulder-to-shoulder until 50 metres from the tape. Eriksson held on to win comfortably in the final straight. Strand barely held off the Dutchman, Wim Slijkhuis, who closed very quickly, passing Bergkvist on the final straight, and preventing a Swedish sweep. Slijkhuis attempted to pass Strand on the inside near the finish but Strand pulled over and bumped Slijkhuis, knocking him briefly off the track.

Although we are quite certain of the above, and of the first six finishers, places 7-12 in the final have been disputed for years and numerous orders of the runners’ finishes have been published. Here are some of the versions that are seen. Volker Kluge, in his monumental series, Olympische Sommerspiele: Die Chronik II, has as follows: 7) Sándor Garay, 8) Erik Jørgensen, 9) Josy Barthel, 10) Don Gehrmann, 11) Marcel Hansenne, 12) Denis Johansson. Ekkehard zur Megede in The Olympic Century has the following: 7) Don Gehrmann, 8) Erik Jørgensen, 9) Denis Johansson, 10) Josy Barthel, 11) Marcel Hansenne, 12) Sándor Garay. Zur Megede appears to have used material from Bob Sparks, late President of the ATFS, who looked at photofinishes of the race. In 1948 Track & Field News published the following results: 7) Erik Jørgensen, 8) Don Gehrmann, 9) Denis Johansson, 10) Josy Barthel, 11) Marcel Hansenne, 12) Sándor Garay. The results we have used are based on information from Richard Hymans, British athletics statistical expert, who has also looked at photos and films of the race, and whose results differ slightly from all the above. We have supplemented this by various descriptions from multiple national sources, including a Swedish radio report of the finish of the race, which definitively gives Garay as placing seventh.